Modular cores save time in Liverpool

Shepherd Construction is cutting 21 weeks off its construction programme by installing Corus Bi-Steel’s Corefast system at its St Paul’s Square scheme in Liverpool.

The rapid erect modular Bi-Steel building core system was specified for the lift and stair cores in the 17,000m², eight-storey office building which forms part of phase two in the city centre development.

The early designs for the building specified a steel frame with in situ concrete walls to three stair cores, plus two more pairs of lift cores with no cross bracing so all the elevations could be fully glazed.

However, working to this design would have brought the construction programme in later than the client required as well as over budget.

Shepherd re-submitted its tender specifying Corefast, which reduced the programme from 105 to 85 weeks.

Tim Waters, Shepherd’s Project Manager, said: “Our team was impressed by Corefast’s benefits, especially its speed of construction. This is a tight city centre project and speed of installation was essential.

The steelwork contractor is Billington Structures and its Operations Director, Mike Fewster, commented: “The erection has gone more smoothly that we’d dared to imagine.

“The benefits for us are that we can easily achieve very tight tolerances on building plumb and all the connections for the rest of the frame are already in place,” added Mr Fewster.